


Dealing With Nightmares

by Plumetta



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-05
Updated: 2014-09-05
Packaged: 2018-02-16 06:24:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2259318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plumetta/pseuds/Plumetta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haymitch and the people he's loved have had a lot of nightmares.    Visiting different points in his life and bad dreams</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dealing With Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own anything the universe belongs to Suzanne Collins.

Haymitch woke up screaming. His mother was there in an instant, stroking his forehead and enveloping him in a hug.

“Mom, I dreamed it was me. I dreamed they called my name.

 

‘Shhhh…..it’s your first time your names only in four times they won’t call you.

“I know, I know most of my friends have seven or eight entries and the older kids…

His mother gave him a firm shake and gently reprimanded. “Don’t think about that now. “I’ve saved up some laundry money, after the reaping we’ll go into the bakery and buy a cupcake.

“Mom, we don’t have money to waste on things like that.

“I have money to celebrate my baby being safe. You don’t even have to share it with your brother.

Haymitch laughed. “Mom, I’m not going to have Garrett look at me with those big eyes. I’ll split it with him.

His mother rubbed his back until he fell asleep.

“You’re going to be okay.

 

Four years later.

Garrett Abernathy woke up screaming. His brother leaped into his bed and put his arm around him.

“Haymitch, I dreamed it was me. I dreamed they called my name.

“Shhhh…it’s your first time your name is only in once they won’t call you.”

Garrett wanted to be brave like his brother but right now he was scared. “Your name is in twenty times and they’re going to pick two boys. You should have let me take my own tesserae.

Haymitch gave him a good shake. “Don’t ever say that. I’ll take it until I’m done and then I’ll work in the mines so….we won’t need it anymore.

“What if they call both our….

Haymitch covered his brother’s mouth. That was his greatest fear and he didn’t want to hear it out loud. “Hey, I killed a bunch of rats by the garbage heap. I made some money selling them to Greasy Sae yesterday. I got enough for a slice of cake at the bakery I’ll buy it for you after the reaping.

“Haymitch, I’m scared.”

“You’ll be fine. Don’t I always take care of you?

He rubbed his brother’s back until he fell asleep.

 

Twenty years later.

Haymitch woke up screaming, desperately reaching for his knife. Instead he felt Effie’s soft hands trying to calm him down.

 

“Effie, I dreamed it was me. They called my name.

She kissed him on the forehead like a child. ‘Shhhh, that was a long time ago and you survived.

“No…I dreamed you called my name in a reaping.

“Don’t be ridiculous. We don’t reap Victors.

“Victor? What kind of Victor am I? I’m bringing home two more coffins.

“So are eleven other Victors. You’re just feeling sorry for yourself. She said sharply. “How many times have I told you not to watch the recaps?

He thought about throwing her out of his apartment even though it was the middle of the night but she was right and they had danced this dance before. Every year after the crowning he watched a tape of 12 recaps. Every minute from the Reaping till their too early deaths. He felt guilty for never bringing home a Victor. He couldn’t protect them, any more than he could protect his family so he punished himself by watching their tribute lives cold stone sober and then letting the nightmares take over.

He rolled over on his side and Effie started rubbing his back, there was nothing sexual about it. She was offering him comfort. He never told Effie his mother used to do this when he couldn’t sleep. He’d been with lots of women and woke up screaming with all of them but Effie was the only one who tried to make him feel better. When he calmed down she would get bring him sugar cookies and not even complain about the crumbs.

 

Six years later.

 

Effie Trinket Abernathy woke up screaming. Haymitch sat up in the bed. He grabbed her flailing arms.

“Haymitch, I dreamed it was me. They called my name for the executions.

‘Shhhh I know but it wasn’t. We kept you alive.

Effie sniffled. ‘When they would called your name in prison, we always knew it was torture or death. I guess that’s what the reapings felt like. 

He kissed her on the forehead like a little girl. “You haven’t had that dream in months. What brought it on?

Effie looked guilty and rolled over on her side. “I deserve these dreams after all the names I pulled.

He started to rub her back and then he asked. “Did you watch that special they had on about the Revolution? 

Effie sighed. “Yes, tonight’s episode was about the prisoners. The debate was about treason or heroism.’

He sighed. “Young lady, I said you weren’t allowed to watch those shows.

Effie rolled over to face him. “I used to say you weren’t allowed to watch the non-mandatory recaps. You never listened to me.

He kissed her lightly on the lips. “We weren’t married then. You’re supposed to obey me.

Effie shrugged. ‘You don’t obey me.”

“That’s because you make ridiculous orders like cut down on drinking. This is for your own good. He patted her back. “No dessert for you young lady.

She laughed. “That’s good because I’m going to gain at least twenty-five pounds over the next nine months. Will you still love me when I’m fat?

He kissed softly. “Yes, even if the baby weight doesn’t come off.

 

Five years later

 

Hailey Trinket Abernathy woke up screaming. “Daddy, Daddy, I want my Daddy.

Effie nudged her husband “You’re up.”

He got out of bed and went down the hall to his daughter’s bedroom.

“Princess, I’m here. What’s wrong?

“Daddy, I had a bad dream. They called your name and you went to the Capitol and never came back.

“I always come back from the Capitol. I have to go for Re-Unification interviews but I’ll be home in a few days.

“It was a scary dream, Daddy. There were giant squirrels.

That made him freeze. There were man eating squirrels in his arena. He scooped her up in a hug and covered her face with kisses. “Everything is fine though. You’re safe, I’m safe, Mommy’s safe. He tucked her back in and she rolled over on her tummy. He smiled. This was Hailey code for “rub my back”.

He patted and rubbed her back and she snuggled in her pillow. He asked. “Why do you think you had such a scary dream?

She shrugged. ‘I don’t know.

“Did you see something on TV?

“You said I can’t watch TV this week because grown-up stuff is on. I can watch the parade on Friday.

“I know what I said but….did you see something? Maybe when you were at Lilly’s house today.

Hailey nodded. ‘They were showing reapings of all the Victors still alive. I wouldn’t have recognized you Daddy and then they were talking about your Games and I heard something about squirrels and Lilly’s Mom turned the TV off and sent us in the backyard to play. So I wasn’t really naughty…I didn’t turn the TV on. It was already on in Lilly’s house.

He smiled. His little Princess was always talking her way out of trouble just like his little brother used……He shook his head, no thoughts about that tonight.

“You’re not in trouble. This just shows that you should listen to Daddy and you wouldn’t have scary dreams.

Hailey yawned. “I need a cookie. 

“A cookie?

“A cookie to help me sleep.

“All right but just one. He stood up and Hailey whimpered. “Don’t go.”

“How am I going to get your cookie if I don’t go?

“Take me with you.”

He picked her up and she nuzzled her face against his scruff.

“Are you going to complain like Mommy that I should shave more often?

She rested her head on his shoulder. “No, it tickles. I love you Daddy.

Even though he had thousands of nightmares, thinking of his Princess dreaming about the Games bothered him the most.


End file.
